Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Earth Times reported that some 800 workers at the Katolec VietnamCorporation, began striking Wednesday 5 May after the company refusedrequests for higher salaries, better motorbike parking and otherconditions.

"They haven't destroyed any company property," said Dang Thi Hien, anoffice clerk at the industrial park. "They just gather in front of thefactory to protest peacefully."Wildcat strikes are common features ofsalary negotiations at foreign-owned companies in Vietnam. But the numberof strikes fell to 82 in the first quarter of 2010, down from 122 in thesame period last year.

The police-run newspaper Cong An Nhan Dan said that workers were upsetwhen the company failed to raise their salaries in April, as had been thestandard practice for years.

A source in Katolec's human resources department, who declined to benamed, said the company argued it had already raised salaries in Januaryto comply with new government minimum wage laws.

Under Vietnamese law, strikes must be approved by local authorities andthe government-affiliated national trade union. In practice, virtually allstrikes take place without such approval.